How This Flyin' Hawaiian is Learning, Living & Loving the Rural Life

Farm Find- The Old Red Truck

Have you ever done a major clean out of something? Your closet? Or the kitchen? What about your guest room? Normally it takes FOREVER as you go through every single thing and decide what to do with it. Sometimes you might donate it, sell it, or secretly put it back until the next time you go through a big purge of “stuff.” Often times you remember the first time you wore that sweater or the last time those jeans fit. Regardless of what you’re cleaning out, it usually doesn’t happen without some nostalgic feelings throughout the process. Now, imagine having a family farm to clean out… One that has been collecting things for the past 60 years! Let me tell you– it’s a lot of stuff! And not just old stuff, but cool stuff!

Over the past several months Jace has been working through much of the buildings, the barn and other equipment that has piled its way up at the farm. One of the main projects he wanted to get started was to see if this old GMC would ever run again. As long as I’ve known Jace, this little gem has been tucked away in one of the tractor sheds, never run and just looking like it wanted to make a comeback. So, on Father’s Day, Jace helped his dad get this old red beast out of the shed and ready to get towed to the shop to see if it’s worth saving.

I hope that it will be worth fixing up. It is the cutest truck. I love the color, the shape and everything about it. Not to mention it could be another great hay hauling truck for us!

Remember when I said that cleaning things out likely comes with some memories? Well, as we celebrated Father’s Day dinner at the farm, Jace filled me in on the memories of the old red GMC. This was the rig they used to transport some of their cattle between properties when he was a kid. They were days spent with grandpa Jack, his mom and his dad hauling and moving cattle, doing things they loved. Believe it or not, it was also what Jace learned to drive a stick shift in on the farm! Whether this old girl stays around or not, the memories will always be there. Memories of time spent riding in the cab of this sweet old truck and lots of hard work.

Times like this remind me that a good days worth of cleaning things out isn’t so bad! Especially if you can dust something off and make good use of it again. Sometimes the saying “out with the old, in with the new” should be “out with the old, back in with the old.” Fingers crossed!